JP2006023382A - Scanning optical observation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a clear image of a sample by preventing a photodetector from detecting its self-fluorescence emitted in a clad. <P>SOLUTION: This scanning optical observation device 1 has a light source 6, an optical scanning section 7 to scan using the light from the light source 6, an optical fiber bundle 4 having cores to transmit the scanning light of the scanning section 7 and clads surrounding the cores, an object optical system 5 to focus the light transmitted through the optical fiber bundle 4 on a sample A, and a scanning controller 8 to control the operation of the optical scanning section 7. The scanning controller 8 controls the scanning section 7 to condense the light of the light source 6 for a long time on the clads but for a short time on the cores. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical scanning observation apparatus.

  Conventionally, an optical fiber microscope disclosed in Patent Document 1 has been proposed as an optical microscope for observing a specimen such as a biological sample in a living state (in vivo). This microscope includes a first objective lens that forms an image of laser light emitted from a laser light source on one end face of an optical fiber bundle, and a second objective lens disposed on the other end face of the optical fiber bundle, and a laser. In this structure, a laser beam from a laser light source is scanned two-dimensionally on a specimen by an optical scanner.

As a laser beam scanner, the position of the light spot on the specimen can be changed by changing the position of the galvano mirror or polygon mirror that changes the reflection direction of the laser beam by changing the mirror angle, and the pinhole that passes the laser beam. There is known a disk scanning method for moving the disk.
JP 2003-344777 A (FIG. 1 etc.)

In such an optical fiber microscope, an optical fiber bundle has a plurality of cores and a clad disposed around the core, and light scanned by a laser light scanner is applied to both the core and the clad. Focused.
However, the light actually used for the observation is only the light incident on the core and propagated, and the light incident on the clad does not contribute to the observation. Furthermore, when light of a specific wavelength is incident on the clad, there is a disadvantage that autofluorescence is generated in the clad. Since the autofluorescence generated in the clad is detected by the photodetector together with the fluorescence emitted from the specimen and propagating back through the core, there are disadvantages such as flare in the acquired image.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and is an optical scanning observation capable of preventing a self-fluorescence emitted from a clad from being detected by a photodetector and obtaining a clear image of a specimen. The object is to provide a device.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
The present invention relates to an optical fiber bundle having a light source, an optical scanning unit that scans light from the light source, a plurality of cores that propagate light scanned by the optical scanning unit, and a clad disposed around the core. An objective optical system that forms an image of light propagating in the optical fiber bundle on a specimen, and a scanning control unit that controls the operation of the optical scanning unit, and the scanning control unit includes: Provided is an optical scanning observation apparatus that controls the optical scanning unit so as to collect light from the light source that is long in the core and short in the cladding.

  According to the present invention, the light emitted from the light source is condensed on one end surface of the optical fiber bundle by the operation of the optical scanning unit, propagated in the optical fiber bundle, and then imaged on the sample by the objective optical system. Is done. At this time, since the light from the light source is collected in the core and short in the cladding by the operation of the scanning control unit, the amount of autofluorescence generated in the cladding can be reduced and the amount of return light necessary for observation can be increased. it can.

In the above invention, it is preferable that the scanning control unit controls the operation of the optical scanning unit in a stepped manner so that the light condensing position by the optical scanning unit is stopped in each core.
By doing in this way, the amount of return light required for observation can be increased simply and effectively.

In the above invention, the scanning control unit may control the operation of the optical scanning unit so that the light condensing position by the optical scanning unit is moved slowly in each core and fast in each cladding. .
By making a difference between the speed at which the light condensing position by the optical scanning unit passes through the core and the speed through the clad, the amount of autofluorescence generated in the clad is relatively reduced, and the return light necessary for observation The amount of can be relatively increased.

Furthermore, in the above invention, the optical scanning unit may be a galvano mirror, and the scanning control unit may control the angle of the galvano mirror.
By controlling the angle of the galvanometer mirror, the generation of autofluorescence in the clad can be easily suppressed and a clear image can be obtained.

In the above invention, the optical scanning unit may be composed of an acousto-optic element that changes a diffraction angle in accordance with an input vibration frequency, and the scanning control unit may control the vibration frequency input to the optical scanning unit. Good.
According to the acoustooptic device, the condensing position can be controlled at a relatively high frequency. As a result, even when the specimen is scanned at high speed, the generation of autofluorescence in the cladding can be reduced and a clear image can be obtained.

Moreover, in the said invention, the said light source consists of a laser light source which oscillates an ultra-short pulse laser beam, and the said detector detects the return light branched from between the said optical fiber bundle and an optical scanning part. It is good.
The sample is irradiated with an ultrashort pulse laser beam to generate a multiphoton excitation phenomenon, and the obtained fluorescence is branched from between the optical fiber bundle and the optical scanning unit and detected by the photodetector. Since the multiphoton excitation phenomenon can generate fluorescence only at a predetermined position in the depth direction of the specimen, it is not necessary to return the same optical path. Therefore, it can be taken out and detected before returning to the optical scanning unit.

  The present invention also provides a light source, a light scanning unit that scans light from the light source, a plurality of cores that propagate light scanned by the light scanning unit, and a clad disposed around the core. A fiber bundle, an objective optical system that forms an image of light propagating in the optical fiber bundle on a specimen, a photodetector that detects return light from the specimen, and a detector control that controls the operation of the photodetector An optical scanning observation device that detects the return light from the core of the optical fiber bundle and controls the operation of the photodetector so as not to detect the return light from the cladding. I will provide a.

  According to the present invention, the light is condensed on the core and the clad of the optical fiber bundle by the operation of the optical scanning unit, and the light propagated by the optical fiber bundle is irradiated on the specimen, so that return light is generated in the specimen. To do. The generated return light is detected by the return light detector via the objective optical system and the optical fiber bundle. According to the present invention, the return returned from the sample via the core by the operation of the detector control unit. Only light can be detected by the photodetector. That is, since the return light returning from the specimen through the clad is not detected by the photodetector, it is possible to acquire a clear image without causing flare or the like in the detected image.

  The present invention also provides a light source, a light scanning unit that scans light from the light source, a plurality of cores that propagate light scanned by the light scanning unit, and a clad disposed around the core. A fiber bundle, an objective optical system that forms an image of light propagating in the optical fiber bundle on a specimen, a photodetector that detects return light from the specimen, and an image acquired by the photodetector And an image processing unit, wherein the image processing unit extracts an image corresponding to the return light from the core of the optical fiber bundle.

  According to the present invention, by the operation of the optical scanning unit, the light from the light source is collected on the core and the clad of the optical fiber bundle, and the light propagated by the optical fiber bundle is irradiated on the specimen, thereby Return light is generated. The generated return light is detected by the return light detector via the objective optical system and the optical fiber bundle, and is acquired as an image. According to the present invention, since the image corresponding to the return light returning from the core is extracted by the operation of the image processing unit, the return light from the clad is excluded. The return light from the clad includes autofluorescence in the clad, but since the return light from the clad is excluded from the obtained image, it is possible to prevent flare and the like from being generated in the image and to produce a clear image. Can be acquired.

  The present invention also provides a light source, a light scanning unit that scans light from the light source, a plurality of cores that propagate light scanned by the light scanning unit, and a clad disposed around the core. A fiber bundle, a shutter section that selectively allows light from a light source to pass through, a shutter control section that controls the shutter section, and an objective optical system that forms an image of light propagating through the optical fiber bundle on a specimen; A light detector for detecting return light from the specimen, and the shutter control unit allows the light collected on the core of the optical fiber bundle to pass therethrough and blocks the light collected on the clad. An optical scanning observation apparatus for controlling the above is provided.

  According to the present invention, the light from the light source is scanned by the optical scanning unit and directed toward the optical fiber bundle, but is turned on and off by the operation of the shutter unit and selectively transmitted. In this case, since the shutter control unit passes the light to the core and blocks the light to the clad, the light from the optical scanning unit is incident only on the core of the optical fiber bundle. As a result, the generation of autofluorescence in the clad can be prevented and the occurrence of flare in the image can be prevented.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the autofluorescence emitted from the clad from being detected by the photodetector and to obtain a clear image of the specimen.

Hereinafter, an optical scanning observation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
An optical scanning observation apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is a laser scanning confocal microscope, and as shown in FIG. 1, an apparatus main body 3 including a first objective lens 2, and the first objective lens The optical fiber bundle 4 having the one end face 4a disposed at the image forming position 2 and the second end face 4b of the optical fiber bundle 4 are disposed on the side of the other end face 4b and imaged on the sample A. Objective lens 5.

  The apparatus main body 3 includes a laser light source 6 that generates laser light and two galvanometer mirrors 7a and 7b that can swing around two orthogonal axes, and the laser light emitted from the laser light source 6 is An optical scanning unit 7 that two-dimensionally scans one end face 4a of each optical fiber constituting the optical fiber bundle 4, a scanning control unit 8 that controls the optical scanning unit 7, a pupil projection lens 9, and an imaging lens 10 A dichroic mirror (branching means) 11 that separates the laser light from the return light returning through the first objective lens 2 and a confocal pin disposed at a position conjugate with the one end face 4a of the optical fiber bundle 4 A hole 12 and a photodetector 13 that detects light that has passed through the confocal pinhole 12 are provided. In the figure, reference numeral 14 denotes a confocal lens.

  Although a plurality of laser light sources 6 are provided in the figure, this is for enabling laser light of different wavelengths to be irradiated onto the sample A, and a single laser light source 6 may be used. Moreover, although the example provided with two or more photodetectors 13 is shown, the single photodetector 13 may be sufficient. Reference numerals 15 and 21 are dichroic mirrors, and reference numeral 16 is a band-pass filter. Reference numeral 17 denotes a mirror that bends the optical path.

The second objective lens 5 is configured to form an image at a desired position of the sample A using light emitted from the other end surface 4b of the optical fiber bundle 4 as a light source.
As shown in FIG. 3, the optical fiber bundle 4 includes a plurality of cores 4c and a clad 4d disposed around each core 4c.

  The scanning control unit 8 changes the angle Y of the galvanometer mirror 7a stepwise as shown in FIG. 2A, thereby changing the light scanning position in the Y direction by 1 as shown in FIG. Control is performed so that the columns are shifted. Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, by changing the angle X of the galvanometer mirror 7b stepwise, as shown in FIG. 3, the light scanning position is shifted by one column in the X direction. It comes to control.

  As a result, after the light scanning position is stopped at the position of each core 4c of the optical fiber bundle 4 for a predetermined time, the operation of instantaneously moving to the position of the adjacent core 4c and stopping for a predetermined time is repeated. It is like that. That is, the laser light from the laser light source 6 is long at the position of each core 4c, and is condensed at the position of the clad 4d between the cores 4c for a short time.

The operation of the optical scanning observation apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
According to the optical scanning confocal observation device 1 according to the present embodiment, when laser light is emitted from the laser light source 6, the laser light is transmitted through the dichroic mirrors 11 and 15 and is two-dimensionally directed by the optical scanning unit 7. Scanned. The laser beam deflected and emitted by the optical scanning unit 7 is incident on the one end surface 4 a of the optical fiber bundle 4 through the pupil projection lens 9, the mirror 17, the imaging lens 10, and the first objective lens 2.

  The laser light that has entered the one end surface 4a of the optical fiber bundle 4 and propagated through the inside of the optical fiber bundle 4 once spreads when emitted from the other end surface 4b of the optical fiber bundle 4, and is disposed in the subsequent stage. The observation target region of the sample A is irradiated by the second objective lens 5. Fluorescence is emitted from the observation target portion of the sample A irradiated with the laser light, and the fluorescence is emitted from the second objective lens 5, the optical fiber bundle 4, the first objective lens 2, the imaging lens 10, the mirror 17, and the pupil. Only the light that returns through the projection lens 9 and the optical scanning unit 7, is reflected by the dichroic mirror 11, separated from the laser light, is condensed by the confocal lens 14, and passes through the confocal pinhole 12. It is detected by the photodetector 13. Since one end surface 4a of the optical fiber bundle 4 functions as a confocal pinhole and is disposed at a position conjugate with the confocal pinhole 12, only the light emitted from the one end surface 4a of the optical fiber bundle 4 is present. It can pass through the confocal pinhole 12 and is detected by the photodetector 13.

  In this case, the operation of the scanning control unit 8 changes the angles X and Y of the galvanometer mirrors 7a and 7b constituting the optical scanning unit 7 stepwise as shown in FIG. However, the light is condensed on the core 4c and short on the clad 4d. That is, most of the light detected by the photodetector 13 becomes fluorescence emitted from the specimen A when it enters the specimen A via the core 4c. As a result, the amount of laser light incident on the clad 4d can be suppressed to suppress the generation of autofluorescence in the clad 4d, and the occurrence of flare or the like in the image can be suppressed to obtain a clear image with high contrast. be able to.

  In the optical scanning observation apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the case where a so-called proximity galvanometer mirror system including two galvanometer mirrors 7a and 7b is adopted as the optical scanning unit 7 has been described. The operating frequency of 7b itself is not so fast as about 500 Hz. Therefore, when the high-speed scanning is considered when the resolution is improved by using the optical fiber bundle 4 having a large number of cores 4c, it may be difficult to move the galvanometer mirrors 7a and 7b stepwise. .

In such a case, an acoustooptic element (not shown) may be used instead of the galvanometer mirrors 7a and 7b. The acousto-optic element is an element that changes the diffraction angle according to the input vibration frequency, and operates at a frequency of about 1 × 10 ⁶ Hz, so that the light irradiation position can be scanned at high speed. Therefore, by using two acousto-optic elements that change the diffraction angle in the X direction and the Y direction in series, the cores 4c of the optical fiber bundle 4 that is two-dimensionally arranged can be selectively selected at higher speed. Light can be collected. Further, when the same time is spent, the number of cores 4c that can be scanned can be increased, and the resolution of the image can be improved.

Next, an optical scanning observation apparatus 30 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
In the description of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to portions having the same configuration as the optical scanning observation apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment described above, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4, the optical scanning observation apparatus 30 according to the present embodiment is a detector control that controls the detection timing by the photodetector 13 instead of the scanning control unit 8 in the first embodiment described above. The unit 31 is provided.
As shown in FIG. 5, when the angle Y of the galvanometer mirror 7a is fixed and scanning in the X direction is performed on the same column by the galvanometer mirror 7b (time P), the detector control unit 31 Is turned on for the time when the optical fiber bundle 4 is disposed in the core 4c of the optical fiber bundle 4, and the light is detected at the time when the laser light is disposed on the cladding 4d and the time when the galvano mirror 7a changes the angle Y (time Q). The device 13 is turned off.

  According to the optical scanning observation apparatus 30 according to the present embodiment configured as described above, the laser light emitted from the laser light source 6 is scanned by the optical scanning unit 7 via the dichroic mirrors 11 and 15, and pupil projection is performed. The light is incident on one end surface 4 a of the optical fiber bundle 4 through the lens 9, the mirror 17, the imaging lens 10, and the first objective lens 2. At this time, according to the present embodiment, the laser light is focused on the entire one end surface 4a of the optical fiber bundle 4, that is, both the core 4c and the clad 4d without any limitation.

  When the laser light propagates through the optical fiber bundle 4 and is irradiated onto the specimen A by the second objective lens 5, the fluorescence generated in the specimen A is converted into the second objective lens 5, the optical fiber bundle 4, and the first. The objective lens 2, imaging lens 10, mirror 17, pupil projection lens 9, and optical scanning unit 7 are returned, reflected by the dichroic mirror 11, separated from the laser beam, and then condensed by the confocal lens 14. Only the light that has passed through the confocal pinhole 12 is incident on the photodetector 13. Accordingly, not only the fluorescence generated in the specimen A by focusing the laser beam on the core 4c but also the autofluorescence generated in the cladding 4d reaches the photodetector 13 by focusing the laser beam on the cladding 4d. Will do.

In this case, according to the optical scanning observation apparatus 30 according to the present embodiment, the photodetector 13 is turned on and the fluorescence from the specimen A is detected during the time when the laser light is incident on the core 4c. On the other hand, during the time when the laser beam is incident on the clad 4d, the photodetector 13 is turned off and no detection is performed. As a result, even if autofluorescence is generated in the clad 4d when the laser light is incident on the clad 4d, the time during which the autofluorescence is generated is not detected by the photodetector 13, and thus is acquired. It is possible to prevent flare and the like from occurring in the image.
Therefore, also with the optical scanning observation apparatus 30 according to the present embodiment, a clear image with high contrast can be obtained, as with the optical scanning observation apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment.

  In the optical scanning observation apparatus 30 according to the present embodiment, the operation of the photodetector 13 is controlled so that the fluorescence detection is not performed when the laser light is incident on the clad 4d. Instead, as shown in FIG. 6, in the photodetector 13, all fluorescence is detected, and in the image processing unit 32 arranged in the subsequent stage, the laser light is incident on the clad 4 d. Processing to exclude fluorescence from the image may be performed, and the processed image may be displayed on the monitor 33.

Next, an optical scanning observation apparatus 40 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
In the description of the present embodiment, portions having the same configuration as those of the optical scanning observation apparatuses 1 and 30 according to the above-described embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  The optical scanning observation apparatus 40 according to this embodiment includes a shutter 41 that selectively transmits or blocks light from the laser light source 6 and a shutter control unit 42 that controls the operation of the shutter 41. As in the operation of the detector control unit 31 shown in FIG. 5C, the shutter control unit 42 has the galvanometer mirrors 7a and 7b arranged at angles X and Y at which the laser light is incident on the core 4c. When the galvano mirrors 7a and 7b are disposed at angles X and Y at which the shutter 41 is opened to allow the laser light to pass therethrough and the laser light is incident on the clad 4d. It is closed to block the laser beam.

According to the optical scanning observation apparatus 40 according to the present embodiment configured as described above, the laser beam is not incident on the clad 4d, and only the fluorescence when the laser beam is incident on the core 4c is detected. Therefore, a clear image with high contrast can be obtained.
In the present embodiment, the shutter 41 is disposed between the dichroic mirrors 11 and 15 as shown in FIG. 7, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the optical scanning unit 7 and the optical scanning unit 7 are not limited thereto. It may be arranged at any position of the front stage or the rear stage, or the front stage of the photodetector 13. As the shutter 41, in addition to a mechanical shutter, an acoustooptic device such as AOTF may be employed when ON / OFF at a high frequency is required.

Next, an optical scanning observation apparatus 50 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
In the description of the present embodiment, portions having the same configuration as those of the optical scanning observation apparatus 1 according to the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

The optical scanning observation apparatus 50 according to the present embodiment employs, as the laser light source 51, a light source that oscillates near-infrared ultrashort pulse laser light having a pulse width of about 100 fsec (femtoseconds), for example, a titanium sapphire laser light source. ing. Further, the photodetector 13 detects fluorescence branched by a dichroic mirror 52 disposed between the first objective lens 2 and the imaging lens 10.
In addition, the point which controls the angle of the galvanometer mirrors 7a and 7b which comprise the optical scanning part 7 by the scanning control part 8 is the same as that of the optical scanning observation apparatus 1 which concerns on 1st Embodiment.

The operation of the optical scanning observation apparatus 50 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
According to the present embodiment, when an ultrashort pulse laser beam is emitted from the ultrashort pulse laser light source 51, the galvanometer mirrors 7a and 7b of the optical scanning unit 7 are operated at a timing controlled by the scanning control unit 8. Then, the light is incident on one end surface 4 a of the optical fiber bundle 4 through the pupil projection lens 9, the mirror 17, the imaging lens 10, and the first objective lens 2. The ultrashort pulse laser beam propagated through the optical fiber bundle 4 is incident on the specimen A by the second objective lens 5 and is condensed at a predetermined depth position of the specimen A. Then, at the depth position, fluorescence is generated by the multiphoton excitation phenomenon. The generated fluorescence returns via the second objective lens 5, the optical fiber bundle 4, and the first objective lens 2, and is branched from the incident optical path by the dichroic mirror 52 and passes through the condenser lens 53 and the band pass filter 16. It is detected by the photodetector 13.

In this case, also in the present embodiment, the optical scanning unit 7 is controlled by the operation of the scanning control unit 8, and the ultrashort pulse laser light is incident on the core 4c and the clad 4d. Generation of fluorescence can be suppressed and a clear image can be obtained.
In particular, in the present embodiment, since a multiphoton excitation phenomenon that generates fluorescence in a pinpoint manner at a predetermined depth position of the specimen A is used, a confocal pinhole is unnecessary and the angle is controlled. It is not necessary to pass the generated fluorescence through the optical scanning unit 7. Therefore, the configuration of the apparatus can be simplified.

  In the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the scanning controller 8 controls the optical scanning unit 7 including the dichroic mirrors 7a and 7b. In the same manner as in the second embodiment, the image scanning timing is controlled by the detector control unit 31, or the ultrashort pulse laser is incident on the clad 4d by the image processing unit 32. The image portion may be removed, or the shutter 41 may be controlled by the shutter control unit 42 as in the third embodiment.

1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an optical scanning observation apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement pattern of the optical scanning part by the scanning control part in the optical scanning observation apparatus of FIG. It is a figure which shows the scanning pattern of a laser beam when an optical scanning part is driven with the operation | movement pattern of FIG. It is a whole block diagram which shows the optical scanning type observation apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation pattern of an optical scanning unit and an operation pattern of a detector by a detector control unit in the optical scanning observation apparatus of FIG. 4. It is a whole block diagram which shows the modification of the optical scanning type observation apparatus of FIG. It is a whole block diagram which shows the optical scanning type observation apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a whole block diagram which shows the optical scanning type observation apparatus which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

A Sample 1 Optical scanning observation device 4 Optical fiber bundle 4c Core 4d Clad 5 Second objective lens 6 Laser light source (light source)
7 Optical scanning unit (optical scanning unit)
7a, 7b Galvano mirror 8 Scanning control unit 31 Detector control unit 32 Image processing unit 41 Shutter (shutter unit)
42 Shutter controller 51 Ultrashort pulse laser light source (light source)

Claims (9)

A light source;
An optical scanning unit that scans light from the light source;
An optical fiber bundle having a plurality of cores that propagate the light scanned by the optical scanning unit and a clad disposed around the cores;
An objective optical system that forms an image of light propagating through the optical fiber bundle on the specimen;
A scanning control unit for controlling the operation of the optical scanning unit,
An optical scanning observation apparatus in which the scanning control unit controls the optical scanning unit so as to collect light from the light source, which is long in the core of the optical fiber bundle and short in the cladding.   The optical scanning observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scanning control unit controls the operation of the optical scanning unit in a stepped manner so that the light condensing position by the optical scanning unit is stopped in each core.   The optical scanning observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scanning control unit controls the operation of the optical scanning unit so that the light condensing position by the optical scanning unit is moved slowly in each core and fast in each cladding. . The optical scanning unit is composed of a galvanometer mirror,
The optical scanning observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scanning control unit controls an angle of the galvanometer mirror. The optical scanning unit is composed of an acousto-optic element that changes a diffraction angle according to an input vibration frequency,
The optical scanning observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scanning control unit controls a vibration frequency input to the optical scanning unit. The light source comprises a laser light source that oscillates an ultrashort pulse laser beam,
The optical scanning observation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical detector detects return light branched from between the optical fiber bundle and an optical scanning unit. A light source;
An optical scanning unit that scans light from the light source;
An optical fiber bundle having a plurality of cores that propagate the light scanned by the optical scanning unit and a clad disposed around the cores;
An objective optical system that forms an image of light propagating through the optical fiber bundle on the specimen;
A photodetector for detecting the return light from the specimen;
A detector control unit for controlling the operation of the photodetector,
An optical scanning observation apparatus in which the detector control unit detects the return light from the core of the optical fiber bundle and controls the operation of the photodetector so as not to detect the return light from the clad. A light source;
An optical scanning unit that scans light from the light source;
An optical fiber bundle having a plurality of cores that propagate the light scanned by the optical scanning unit and a clad disposed around the cores;
An objective optical system that forms an image of light propagating through the optical fiber bundle on the specimen;
A photodetector for detecting the return light from the specimen;
An image processing unit that processes an image acquired by the photodetector,
An optical scanning observation apparatus in which the image processing unit extracts an image corresponding to return light from the core of the optical fiber bundle. A light source;
An optical scanning unit that scans light from the light source;
An optical fiber bundle having a plurality of cores that propagate the light scanned by the optical scanning unit and a clad disposed around the cores;
A shutter that selectively allows light from the light source to pass through;
A shutter control unit for controlling the shutter unit;
An objective optical system that forms an image of light propagating through the optical fiber bundle on the specimen;
A photodetector for detecting the return light from the specimen,
An optical scanning observation apparatus in which the shutter control unit controls the shutter unit so as to allow the light collected on the core of the optical fiber bundle to pass and block the light collected on the clad.

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